Impact of Microcystis aeruginosa Exudate on the Formation and Reactivity of Iron Oxide Particles Following Fe(II) and Fe(III) Addition

Transformation of Natural Organic Matter in Simulated Abiotic Redox Dynamic Environments: Impact on Fe Cycling

Redox fluctuations within redox dynamic environments influence the redox state of natural organic matter (NOM) and its interaction with redox-active elements, such as iron. In this work, we investigate the changes in the molecular composition of NOM during redox fluctuations as well as the impact of these changes on the Fe-NOM interaction employing Suwannee River Dissolved Organic Matter (SRDOM) as a representative NOM. Characterization of SRDOM using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry showed that irreversible changes occurred following electrochemical reduction and reoxidation of SRDOM in air. Changes in the redox state of SRDOM impacted its interaction with iron with higher rates of Fe(III) reduction in the presence of reduced and reoxidized SRDOM than in the presence of the original SRDOM. The increased rate of Fe(III) reduction in the presence of reduced SRDOM was due to the formation of reduced organic moieties on SRDOM reduction. The Fe(II) oxidation rate also increased in the presence of reduced SRDOM due to the formation of redox-active moieties that were capable of oxidizing Fe(II). Overall, our study provides useful insights into the changes in SRDOM that may occur in redox dynamic environments and the associated impact of these changes on Fe transformations.

Combined Effect of NZVI and H2O2 on the Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa: Performance and Mechanism

In order to eliminate the harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and the algal organic matters (AOMs) produced by M. aeruginosa, the combined process of nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) has been carried out, and the removal mechanism has also been clarified. As the initial cyanobacterial cell concentration is 1.0 (±0.05) × 10⁵ cells·mL^-1, all the treatments of NZVI, H₂O₂, and NZVI/H₂O₂ have inhibition effects on both the Chl a contents and photosynthetic pigments, with the Chl a removal efficiency of 47.3%, 80.5%, and 90.7% on the 5th day, respectively; moreover, the variation of ζ potential is proportional to that of the Chl a removal efficiency. The malondialdehyde content and superoxide dismutase activity are firstly increased and ultimately decreased to mitigate the oxidative stress under all the treatments. Compared with NZVI treatment alone, the oxidation of the H₂O₂ and NZVI/H₂O₂ processes can effectively destroy the antioxidant enzyme system and then inactivate the cyanobacterial cells, which further leads to the release of photosynthetic pigments and intracellular organic matters (IOM); in addition, the IOM removal efficiency (in terms of TOC) is 61.3% and 54.1% for the H₂O₂ and NZVI/H₂O₂ processes, respectively. Although NZVI is much more effective for extracellular organic matters (EOM) removal, it is less effective for IOM removal. The results of the three-dimensional EEM fluorescence spectra analysis further confirm that both H₂O₂ and NZVI/H₂O₂ have the ability to remove fluorescent substances from EOM and IOM, due to the oxidation mechanism; while NZVI has no removal effect for the fluorescent substances from EOM, it can remove part of fluorescent substances from IOM due to the agglomeration. All the results demonstrate that the NZVI/H₂O₂ process is a highly effective and applicable technology for the removal of M. aeruginosa and AOMs.

Extracellular electron transfer by Microcystis aeruginosa is solely driven by high pH

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) by the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa was investigated. Observations indicate that EET onto an electrode poised at + 0.6 vs. standard hydrogen electrode (SHE) is triggered by high pH, more evidently at pH levels above 9. Light intensity does not appear to affect electricity generation, indicating that this may not be a "biophotovoltaic" process. The generated current density was amplified with stepwise pH increases from approximately 5 mA m^-2 at pH 7.8 to 30 mA m^-2 at pH 10.5, for dense (0.4 mg mL^-1 dry weight) Microcystis aeruginosa suspensions with dissolved CO₂ and O₂ approaching equilibrium with atmospheric concentrations. The upsurge in current density was more pronounced (from 5 mA m^-2 at pH 7.8 to 40 mA m^-2 at pH 10.2) in the absence of the cells' natural electron acceptors, dissolved CO₂ and O₂. However, the latter effect is more likely due to competition for electrons by oxygen than to reductive stress. EET in this species is therefore a light-independent process that is enhanced by increasing pH, with reasons that are still unknown, but either related to the involvement of protons in the last step of electron transfer, or to intracellular pH control.

Removal of cyanobacteria and control of algal organic matter by simultaneous oxidation and coagulation - comparing the H2O2/Fe(II) and H2O2/Fe(III) processes

Cyanobacterial blooms in drinking water are worldwide concern. It is known that pre-oxidation enhanced coagulation can be more efficient at removing algae than traditional coagulation. However, its application is hindered by high oxidant/coagulant consumption and the resultant potential health risk, in the form of algal organic matter (AOM) released during oxidation. To remove the cyanobacteria and meanwhile ensure cell integrity, H₂O₂/Fe(II) and H₂O₂/Fe(III), which have been widely used to degrade organic pollutants in waters, are proposed in this study. The removal efficiency of Microcystis aeruginosa (M. aeruginosa) under various oxidant/coagulant dosages, AOM release and cell integrity, as well as floc formation and morphology were investigated with these simultaneous oxidation/coagulation processes. The results show that the removal efficiency was higher than 95% with H₂O₂/Fe(II) and H₂O₂/Fe(III) under 100 μmol/L H₂O₂ and Fe. In addition, neither method was found to damage the algal cells in 50-200 μmol/L H₂O₂ dosing concentrations. It was also found that AOM, including microcystins (MCs), was well controlled owing to the oxidation of H₂O₂ or hydroxyl radicals, and in-situ Fe(III) settled down the cells in the processes. Compared with H₂O₂/Fe(II), H₂O₂/Fe(III) could remove algae efficiently and control AOM release with lower H₂O₂ (50 μmol/L) and Fe(III) (80 μmol/L) dosages, which suggests that a low chemical consumption is suitable for this simultaneous oxidation/coagulation processes. This is a promising technology for the removal of algae from drinking water in a clean, economical way.

Influence of pH on the Kinetics and Mechanism of Photoreductive Dissolution of Amorphous Iron Oxyhydroxide in the Presence of Natural Organic Matter: Implications to Iron Bioavailability in Surface Waters

In this study, we investigate the influence of pH on the kinetics and mechanism of photoreductive dissolution of amorphous iron oxyhydroxide (AFO) in view of the recognition that the light-mediated dissolution of iron oxides controls Fe availability in many natural waters. Our results show that both ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) and photogenerated superoxide (O₂^•-) play an important role in AFO photoreductive dissolution in the presence of the chosen surrogate of natural organic matter, Suwannee river fulvic acid (SRFA). The pH dependence of LMCT-mediated AFO photoreductive dissolution is mainly controlled by the influence of pH on AFO solubility. A decrease in pH increases the concentration of the dissolved and more photolabile Fe(III)-SRFA complex present in equilibrium with AFO, a complex in which Fe(III) is readily reduced by LMCT. The pH dependence of superoxide-mediated Fe(III) reduction (SMIR) is also controlled by the influence of pH on AFO solubility with an increase in the dissolved inorganic Fe(III) concentration with the decrease in pH resulting in an increased rate of SMIR. No influence of pH was observed on the steady-state O₂^•- concentration generated on SRFA irradiation as well as the O₂^•- decay rate in the presence of SRFA, suggesting that the concentration and lifetime of O₂^•- are not important factors in controlling the pH dependence of O₂^•--mediated AFO dissolution. Overall, the results of this study show that the impact of acidification of natural waters on Fe availability will be much more pronounced when Fe is present as iron oxyhydroxide compared to that observed when organically bound Fe dominates with this effect because of the strong dependency of iron oxyhydroxide solubility on pH. The increased rate and extent of dissolution of iron oxyhydroxides on the acidification of natural waters will also have implications to the fate of other contaminants (such as heavy metals and organic compounds) that may be present on the iron oxyhydroxide surface.

Phenazine-1-Carboxylic Acid-Producing Bacteria Enhance the Reactivity of Iron Minerals in Dryland and Irrigated Wheat Rhizospheres

Phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic produced by rhizobacteria in the dryland wheat fields of the Columbia Plateau. PCA and other phenazines reductively dissolve Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides in bacterial culture systems, but the impact of PCA upon Fe and Mn cycling in the rhizosphere is unknown. Here, concentrations of dithionite-extractable and poorly crystalline Fe were approximately 10% and 30-40% higher, respectively, in dryland and irrigated rhizospheres inoculated with the PCA-producing (PCA⁺) strain Pseudomonas synxantha 2-79 than in rhizospheres inoculated with a PCA-deficient mutant. However, rhizosphere concentrations of Fe(II) and Mn did not differ significantly, indicating that PCA-mediated redox transformations of Fe and Mn were transient or were masked by competing processes. Total Fe and Mn uptake into wheat biomass also did not differ significantly, but the PCA⁺ strain significantly altered Fe translocation into shoots. X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy revealed an abundance of Fe-bearing oxyhydroxides and phyllosilicates in all rhizospheres. These results indicate that the PCA⁺ strain enhanced the reactivity and mobility of Fe derived from soil minerals without producing parallel changes in plant Fe uptake. This is the first report that directly links significant alterations of Fe-bearing minerals in the rhizosphere to a single bacterial trait.

Is Superoxide-Mediated Fe(III) Reduction Important in Sunlit Surface Waters?

Two major pathways are reported to account for photochemical reduction of Fe(III) in sunlit surface waters, namely, ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) and superoxide-mediated iron reduction (SMIR). In this study, we investigate the impact of Fe(III) speciation (organically complexed (Fe(III)L versus iron oxyhydroxide (AFO)) on Fe(III) reducibility by photogenerated superoxide (O₂^•-) and LMCT. To simulate conditions typical of fresh, estuarine, and coastal waters, we have used Suwannee River Fulvic Acid (SRFA) as a representative of the natural organic matter likely to associate with Fe(III). Our results show that the photolabile Fe(III)SRFA complex is reduced rapidly by LMCT, while O₂^•- does not play a role in reduction of these entities. In contrast, the relatively less photolabile AFO is reduced by both O₂^•- and LMCT. The reduction of AFO by O₂^•- occurs following the dissolution of AFO, and hence, the contribution of O₂^•- to reductive dissolution of AFO is dependent on conditions such as the age of the AFO and initial AFO concentration affecting the rate of dissolution of AFO. Our results further show that while colloidal Fe(III) (in this work, particles >0.025 μm) is reduced by O₂^•-, there is no involvement of O₂^•- in dissolved Fe(III) reduction. Overall, our results show that superoxide-mediated iron reduction will be important only in natural waters containing limited concentrations of Fe binding ligands.

Influence of algal organic matter on MS2 bacteriophage inactivation by ultraviolet irradiation at 220 nm and 254 nm

We determined the potential interference of extracellular algal organic matter (EAOM) and intracellular algal organic matter (IAOM) extracted from Microcystis aeruginosa on MS2 bacteriophage inactivation under UV irradiation at two wavelengths (220 and 254 nm). UV irradiation at 220 nm doubled the inactivation rate of MS2 in water containing EAOM than in organic-free phosphate buffered solution. In contrast, EAOM did not change MS2 inactivation by exposure to UV 254 nm. The presence of IAOM did not significantly influence MS2 inactivation by exposure to either UV 254 or UV 220 nm. To achieve 3 log₁₀ inactivation of MS2, UV254 nm required more than double the dose of UV220 nm (45 mJ/cm² vs. 20 mJ/cm²). Linear correlations between the reduction in infectivity and the reduction in genome copies detected by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction suggested that genomic damage is the main mechanism responsible for MS2 inactivation in water containing algal organic matter (AOM) by exposure to UV irradiation. These findings suggest that the presence of AOM did not negatively influence MS2 inactivation by either 220 or 254 nm irradiation, and that a lower UV dose of 220 nm irradiation can be used to achieve the same level of inactivation in water containing AOM.